Taking the Plunge
by Abarero
Summary: China just smiled; silver was the highest placement a male swimmer from his country had ever won, after all. Even Korea beating him couldn't damper that...much. Beijing Olympics: China/Korea.


Author's Notes: A nod to the S. Korean win during the Beijing Olympics in swimming.

* * *

**Taking the Plunge**

* * *

He couldn't help but gape, the crowd around him erupting into cheers and South Korean flags being waved proudly. In fact, he could do nothing but stare in shock at the swimmer who was currently smiling and waving at the crowd.

A warm hand on his back started him out of it.

"Congratulations, aru!" China's voice cut through the crowd noise.

Korea blinked, turning to look at China and slowly closing his gaping mouth. "W-We won," he finally managed. "We won _gold_."

Placing a loose arm around his back, China started to lead Korea down to where the swimmers were gathering with their coaches. "Come on, aru. You should go congratulate your swimmer."

Korea nodded, still a bit speechless as his eyes glanced up at the scoreboard as if to confirm what he'd just witnessed. Sure enough, the first slot was held by South Korea. Warm brown eyes flickered down the board, noticing the favored Australian all the way in sixth place. That's when the second slot's winner registered to him.

"Aniki, you won silver!" He exclaimed, turning to the shorter nation beside him. China just smiled; silver was the highest placement a male swimmer from his country had ever won, after all. Even Korea beating him couldn't damper that…much.

"Not that I'm pleased coming second to you, aru; but this is your first medal in swimming, isn't it?"

He thought hard, even his strange hair having an expression of intense concentration, before answering. "Wow, it is! Our first medal and it's a gold!" Korea grinned then, leaning his elbow down on China's shoulder. "Though, it should be expected, since swimming originated in Korea."

China just sighed and was almost knocked backwards as the winning swimmer came up and started excitedly talking to Korea in their native language. He'd heard remarks before now that this prodigy swimmer was 'like a little brother' to Korea, but seeing it was almost endearing.

Turning away from the now-hugging Koreans, China started to walk towards where the silver medalist from his country was waiting for him. Just as he reached out and shook the swimmer's hand, congratulating him on a great race, he heard Korea's voice yell across the pool.

"Hey Aniki! Come and party with me, okay?"

China blinked, glancing over his shoulder to see Korea with his arm around his winning swimmer's shoulders with a huge grin on his face. "What, aru?"

"Meet me here at the complex later!"

And wondering why he was agreeing (chalking it up to the fact that he knew what Korea's win meant not only for his country, but for Asia as a whole) China called back to him. "All right, aru. I'll meet you here."

* * *

It was late that evening, after all the events had finished for the day, that China went back to the Aquatics Center. The lights had been dimmed and the place seemed eerily quiet considering it was packed with noisy fans only hours earlier. For a few moments, the place was _so_ empty and silent that he suspected Korea had forgotten to come and had gone out partying without him. That's when his ears caught the distinct splash of someone jumping into the nearest pool.

"Korea?" He asked the seemingly vacant arena.

A few splashes later and a familiar face surfaced on the far the edge of the pool. "Aniki, you came!" Korea's cheerful voice echoed across.

Perplexed, China frowned. "I thought we were partying, aru. Not swimming."

Korea grinned, that 'I-am-totally-up-to-something' smirk that China had grown to be very wary of. As the younger nation swam towards him, China contemplated the merits of leaving before it was too late.

"Come on, aniki! You can swim, right?" Korea asked as he crossed his arms over the edge of the pool, successfully creating a large puddle right by China's feet.

"Of course I can swim, aru!"

A damp hand reached up and tugged at China's pants leg. "Then get in the pool, Aniki! We can go party once you race me."

"Race, aru?" He narrowed his eyes, already feeling the water from Korea's hand seeping through his pants to his leg.

"I put out your swim stuff over there, unless you want to swim in your clothes."

China's eyes darted over to the side of the pool where, sure enough, there was a swim cap, swim trunks and goggles sitting ready. And he realized that if Korea was _this_ prepared for something then it was only cause for more wariness than usual.

Sighing, he turned back to the other nation. "What's the catch, aru?"

"No catch!" He replied, a little _too_ innocently. "It's just since our swimmers placed first and second, I thought it'd be fun to race Aniki. I know swimming competitions originated in Korea, so I'm bound to win; but if you want to prove me otherwise…"

Still not trusting him, but having too much pride to let Korea's assumption he would lose pass, China snatched up the swim trunks and stalked off to the locker room. Korea hollered after him. "You can change out here, Aniki! I've already seen your embarrassing tattoo!"

China flushed red and slammed the door behind himself. He could hear Korea's laughter echoing off the walls and determinedly decided that he would give this swim race his all. Korea's youthful energy couldn't give him _too_ much of an edge, could it?

Three laps into it, and China was pretty certain that this would be an easy win. He didn't know if it was the fact he'd been swimming for thousands of years, or if it was just that Korea's overconfidence was getting the best of him; but as they made the turn into the fourth lap, China was solidly in the lead.

And that's when Korea sped up out of nowhere. Just as China was starting to slow down, just as he was reaching out for that final stretch, Korea breezed by him as if he was just casually swimming along. Inwardly, China cursed and pushed his aching ancient muscles as hard as he could.

But Korea's hand slammed down on the pool's edge first, with China behind him by almost a full minute.

"I won!" Korea said, beaming. "Aniki, you're slow!"

China huffed, pulling off his swim cap and shaking his hair loose. "Yes, aru. Well…" He was about to give an excuse - the water being too cold, the hour being late, _something_ - when Korea cut him off.

"Okay, so you'll give me my prize now, right?"

Blinking, and nervously eyeing the somewhat eager grin on Korea's face, China floated back a few inches. "What prize, aru?"

Korea dove under the lane divider and popped up right in front of China, his expression now both hopeful and somewhat hesitant. "I thought that, if I could beat Aniki at a swimming race, then he'd give me one thing I really wanted as prize, since he'd be so proud of me…"

_Oh no, aru. He's not…_ China grimaced, waiting for the request of something perverse or at least somewhat lewd as an award.

Much to China's chagrin, Korea didn't voice his request and instead just leaned forward and took it. China's eyes shot wide open as Korea's lips captured his, the younger nation backing him up against the edge of the pool and pinning his smaller frame there.

China waited for the hand smoothing over his chest, or at least one reaching down to pull off his trunks while he was distracted; but it never came.

Instead, Korea pulled back with a pout on his face. "It doesn't work if you don't kiss back, _China_."

And he wasn't sure if it was the fact he was asking for something so…_tame_ that surprised him, or the fact that he called him by his name that made China decide that perhaps, just this once, it wouldn't hurt. But hell, if he was going to do this, then China figured it might as well be done right…

And without a word in reply, China grabbed Korea around the neck and pulled him forward; their lips crashing together. This time, it was Korea's turn to be surprised, his eyes widening for an instant before closing contently.

They pulled apart moments later, both of them gasping for air and tasting chlorine on their tongues. Finally, China murmured. "Is there going to be alcohol at this party of yours, aru?"

Korea blinked before answering. "Of course. Why?"

"Because if I'm going to be with you, then I'm going to need it, aru."

THE END


End file.
